eu referendum – the higher education implications · # eu staff make up 15% of the british...

EU Referendum – the Higher Education Implications HEURO annual conference, Aston University 12 May 2016

Lucy Shackleton European Policy and Campaign manager, Universities UK

Universities UK | The voice of universities

Overview

§  What the polls are saying

§  How does EU membership enhance British universities?

§  Some common myths and misconceptions

§  In event of a Brexit – timescales, processes & issues to consider

§  Universities for Europe campaign

§  Student Voter registration

§  Questions Towards a digital strategy Universities UK | The voice of universities

Latest polls

»  Latest Polls - What Britain Thinks www.whatukthinks.org/eu Average of most recent 6 national polls Excluding don’t knows 50% Remain, 50% Leave »  Latest Odds Best odds for remain 4/11 Best odds for leave 13/15 58.68% of bets taken for remain


Tracker poll

www.whatukthinks.org/eu Average of most recent 6 national polls

4 Universities UK | The voice of universities

Tracker poll – Oct 2015 to May 2016 - average of most recent 6 national polls www.whatukthinks.org/eu

What the HE sector thinks

»  103 Vice-Chancellors (of UUK’s membership of 133) outlined their support for the UK’s continued membership of the EU, and its positive impact on British science, ina letter to The Sunday Times in February 2016

»  13 ex-Ministers for Higher Education signed a letter to The Times in April 2016

to highlight the risks of a Brexit for the UK’s world-leading position in research and innovation

»  Of 73 written submissions to the House of Lords Inquiry on the relationship

between EU membership and UK science, only 2 were negative »  83% of UK scientists polled by Nature back staying in the EU »  70% of students are pro-EU according to HEPI polling

»  Proposed letter from HEURO members


How does EU membership enhance British universities and their impact ?

Ø Research funding, collaboration and scale

Ø Attracting talent – staff and students

Ø Global opportunities for staff and students

Ø Enhancing economic and social impact of universities – through research and EU students


Research collaboration, scale, funding and impact

ü  UK universities secured just under €5 billion of EU research income from 2007-2013, and over 20% of ERC grants.

ü  The EU provides a unique single framework for collaboration, reducing the bureaucracy associated with bringing together players from different countries, all with their own rules and regulations to comply with.

ü  Research with international partners has nearly 50% more impact than research done at a national level – and over 60% of our international research partners are from other EU countries.

ü  Researchers can participate in large-scale transnational projects using cross-EU infrastructure.


Attracting talent

ü EU staff make up 15% of the British universities academic workforce, and EU students over 5% of the student body,125,000 students

ü Over half of ERC Consolidator grantees in the UK in 2014 were non-UK EU – demonstrating the excellence of EU researchers in the UK.

ü EU students generate £3.7bn for the UK economy and support over 34,000 jobs in all corners of the country.


Global Opportunities

ü Over 200,000 UK students and 20,000 UK university staff have spent time abroad through the Erasmus exchange programme.

ü  Students who have done an Erasmus placement are 50%

less likely to experience long-term unemployment than their counterparts who stayed at home

ü Over 3,500 British researchers have been supported by the

EU to hone their skills abroad, boosting the profile of UK research and networks.


Myth-busting

Nothing would change – we could still participate in EU networks, programmes and retain all benefits without being a full member ü  This is a dangerous assumption to make. Bilateral negotiations &

unanimous approval from 27 other Member States required.

ü  No precedent for an exit from the EU, no political incentive for UK to be granted access to programmes out of which it benefits disproportionately.

ü  Loss of influence over rules and regulations which would still apply, as well as EU policy priorities.

ü  Precarious nature of associate membership: Switzerland as a case study


Myth-busting

We could replace EU funding at national level ü  This betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of

international collaboration for research. ü  Working together researchers from across Europe and beyond can

pool knowledge, infrastructure, data and resources to achieve more together than they could alone.

ü  Research done through international collaboration has 50% more impact of research done on a national level.

ü UK Government track record? Public investment in research currently stands at 0.55% of GDP, compared to an average of 0.8% in other advanced countries.


Myth-busting

Our universities are globally renowned. Students and researchers will still come here and we will still be able to study and work in Europe. ü  We know from universities’ ongoing struggles with the UK visa

regime, that any limits placed on freedom of movement could cause major difficulties for our global universities.

ü  Leaving the EU and putting up barriers to work and study makes it more likely that European students and researchers will choose to go elsewhere at a time when EU market is gaining in importance.

ü  Unclear whether any raise in tuition fee income would compensate

for potential reduction in absolute numbers.


Brexit timescales and process


UK would not be able to affect EU decision-making from the moment Article 50 is triggered, but would be bound by EU legislation until the moment it left.

Formally 2yr process of withdrawal but could take longer. Unclear whether new agreement negotiations would be simultaneously or consecutive

The risks of Brexit – issues to consider

»  Freedom of movement and immigration law – new immigration status for EU students and staff? New fee status?

»  Access to research and HE mobility funding, networks and programmes – in the immediate and in the long-term

»  Regulatory issues – VAT to copyright »  University crisis communications, working with BIS,

European Commission and UUK »  Length of the period of uncertainty, and impact on

universities’ strategic planning


Campaign Objectives

Towards a digital strategy 16 Universities UK | The voice of universities

Ø  For universities to be a powerful and positive voice in the public debate on the value of EU membership

Ø  For the national referendum debate to be informed and strengthened by our arguments and evidence

Ø  For the British public to be better informed about how EU membership enhances university research and teaching and enables UK universities to have a bigger positive impact on individuals, the economy and society

Ø  To promote the role of universities as a place to host public debate and provide academic expertise

Key messages

Towards a digital strategy Universities UK | The voice of universities

The UK’s membership of the EU makes our outstanding universities even stronger,

benefitting everyone. ü Improving lives by enhancing the impact of research

ü Attracting the brightest and best

ü Global opportunities for UK students and staff

ü Enhancing the positive impact of UK universities on the economy and society

Campaign Strategy


Mobilising the converted §  Sharing arguments and evidence about benefit to research collaboration,

student experience, attracting talent and mobility

§  Focus on comms activity and events on campuses for students and staff (c80% of students pro-EU; 7 in 8 scientists )

§  Promoting voter registration and voter turnout

Reaching beyond the converted §  Publicly accessible arguments about how the EU enhances universities

local economic impact (jobs) and research impact (improving lives)

§  Promoting university leaders voices as ‘trusted messengers’ through national, regional/local and social media

§  Strengthening the arguments made by other pro-EU campaigners

Trusted messengers Survation for British Future – May 2015


How much do you trust the following people when they talk about whether Britain should stay in the EU?

Trust (distrust) A farmer 63% (22%) +41%

An economist 63% (24%) +39% University Vice-Chancellor 49% (25%) +24%

David Cameron 49% (41%) +8% Your local MP 47% (39%) +8% Boris Johnson 45% (39%) +6%

CEO of a big company 44% (36%) +8% Your local MEP 41% (43%) -2%

Trade union leader 37% (45%) – 8% Tony Blair 28% (59%) -31%

Jean Claude Juncker 25% (51%) -26%

Media coverage

Towards a digital strategy 20 Universities UK | The voice of universities

Final 6 weeks What are the priorities?

Reaching beyond the converted

»  Local, regional and national media coverage to promote: Ø  EU supports universities to enhance impact of research improving people lives

Ø  EU supports universities to have a greater local economic impact – jobs, business growth, student spending in local communities

»  Supporting Pro-EU politicians and IN campaigners -  evidence sharing, media hooks -  events at universities

»  A separate campaign to promoting student voter registration (and voter turnout)

»  Risk planning – in the event of a Brexit


Student Voter Registration

»  Promoting Electoral Commission’s partner pack of resources - posters, suggested tweets , web buttons, student specific infographic created by UUK

»  Created a Universities Guide for promoting a national Student Voter Registration Week 16-20 May 2016 supported by UUK, NUS and the AoC.

»  Student Voter Registration Week and national day of action on Student Voter registration (18th May) - support from MPs and public figures; widespread social media; national and local media activity

»  Support a nationwide tour by Eddie Izzard to promote student voter registration, voter turnout and explain why students are better off in the EU

»  Commissioned new polling on students and the EU referendum to generate further local and national media


Any questions? Lucy Shackleton Universities UK 020 7419 5404 [email protected]


eu referendum – the higher education implications · # eu staff make up 15% of the british...

Documents